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Buddleja megalocephala

Buddleja megalocephala

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A botanical species native to the mountains of Guatemala, forming a small tree in the wild. In our climate, its dimensions are those of a shrub, and it is most often grown in a pot to be overwintered indoors, protected from the cold. This buddleia bears a very beautiful light grey, woolly, almost white evergreen leaf. It blooms sparingly in late spring. Its inflorescences are small balls changing from yellow to dark burnt orange. A collector's plant!
Flower size
3 cm
Height at maturity
2 m
Spread at maturity
1.50 m
Exposure
Sun
Hardiness
Hardy down to -6.5°C
Soil moisture
Moist soil
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Best planting time April to May
Recommended planting time March to June
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Flowering time June
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Description

Buddleja megalocephala is a botanical species of butterfly bush endemic to the high-altitude regions of Guatemala and Mexico. It is a rare plant in cultivation, quite difficult to acclimatise in our latitudes. This Buddleja is characterised by long, woolly leaves that are almost white, borne on very light-coloured stems. Its ball-shaped, yellow flower heads turning to orange resemble Buddleja globosa, but are less abundant. Outside of the most sheltered gardens, it is best to grow it in a container and overwinter it like a citrus tree. Its hardiness is rated at -5 °C.

Buddleja megalocephala grows only in a small highland region from Mount Tacana in Guatemala to the state of Chiapas in Mexico. It is found there in clearings and open areas of evergreen forests at very high altitudes, between 2700 and 4000m, in a humid tropical biotic region. It is a dioecious species; there are male and female plants. In the wild, it forms a tree reaching up to 12m in height with a trunk 65cm in diameter. This species was named and described by the American taxonomist John Donnell Smith in 1897. Recently introduced into cultivation, B. megalocephala has so far only formed large shrubs 2m in height in temperate gardens or under cover. The plants currently available in the trade are, according to some sources, male plants (clone BSWJ 9106).

Buddleja megalocephala shows a somewhat loose, bushy habit, quite poorly branched. Its brownish bark is fissured. It develops robust, quadrangular, hairy twigs, covered with white down. The foliage is theoretically evergreen in winter. The leaves are attached to the branches by a petiole 1 to 2cm long. The leaves are lanceolate or elliptical and measure between 7 and 20cm long and 2 to 6cm wide. The upper surface of the leaves is smooth, and the underside is covered with a thick, almost white down. Flowering takes place in late spring in our climates, around June, and is often not very abundant. The branched inflorescences measure 6 to 20cm long and 8 to 10cm wide in the form of globose heads containing 40 to 50 tiny flowers. Each 'ball' of flowers changes from yellow to orange and then to dark orange before fading.

If your climate allows, use Buddleja megalocephala as a specimen plant to amaze your visitors. Rare plant enthusiasts will also want Buddleja macrostachya and B. colvillei. Elsewhere, it can stand in a large pot on the terrace during summer and spend winter in an orangery or a temperate greenhouse.

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The complete guide to growing butterfly bush
Family sheet
by Virginie T. 14 min.
The complete guide to growing butterfly bush
Read article

Plant habit

Height at maturity 2 m
Spread at maturity 1.50 m
Habit irregular, bushy
Growth rate normal

Flowering

Flower colour yellow
Flowering time June
Inflorescence Thyrse
Flower size 3 cm
Fragrance slightly scented honeyed
Bee-friendly Attracts pollinators

Foliage

Foliage persistence Evergreen
Foliage colour grey or silver

Botanical data

Genus

Buddleja

Species

megalocephala

Family

Scrophulariaceae (Buddlejaceae)

Origin

South America

Product reference208010

Planting and care

Buddleia megalocephala enjoys tropical, fairly warm and humid environments. It dies below -5°C even when mature. For this reason, it is most often grown in a large pot. This allows it to be sheltered from the cold in winter.

Grow this species in full sun or partial shade. It prefers well-drained, slightly acidic soil. Repot in spring every 2-3 years. After repotting, water moderately. Feed in spring and autumn. Avoid feeding in winter. This buddleia does not require any special attention regarding ambient humidity. However, if the air is particularly dry, it is advisable to place a layer of damp clay pebbles at the bottom of the saucer. It can be subject to attacks from aphids, scale insects and cryptogamous diseases.

Planting period

Best planting time April to May
Recommended planting time March to June

Intended location

Suitable for Meadow
Type of use Free-standing, Container
Hardiness Hardy down to -6.5°C (USDA zone 9a) Show map
Planting spacing Every 150 cm
Exposure Sun
Soil pH Acidic, Neutral
Soil type Silty-loamy (rich and light)
Soil moisture Moist soil well-drained

Care

Pruning instructions Prune, if necessary, after flowering.
Pruning Pruning recommended once a year
Pruning time July to August
Soil moisture Moist soil
Disease resistance Average
Overwinter Can be left in the ground

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